Current status of vaccines for substance use disorders: A brief review of human studies

Substance use is a major public health concern worldwide. In the United States, drug-related deaths have increased many-fold in the past two decades due to the infiltration of more potent and lethal drugs such as fentanyl. Despite significant advancement in medicine, the management of substance use disorders (SUD) continues to be fraught with high attrition, relapse, morbidity, and mortality. The conceptual transition of a SUD from a moral failing to a chronic disease caused by substances facilitated the expansion of biological treatments, including pharmacotherapy, neurostimulation, and immunotherapy. While the quest for vaccines against drugs of abuse had an optimistic start in animal models, clinical trials in humans have yielded disappointing results. This paper provides a brief review on the current progress of vaccines against nicotine, stimulants (cocaine and methamphetamine), opioids including fentanyl, novel psychoactive substances (synthetic cathinones and synthetic cannabis), and discusses prospects for vaccine technology in the treatment of SUD. •Vaccines for substance use disorders have faced significant challenges in transition for use in humans.•vaccines against drugs of abuse maybe more helpful for some lethal substances as part of overdose prevention•The cocaine and nicotine vaccines have not been successful at promoting abstinence or reducing use in humans.•Vaccines against methamphetamine, fentanyl, synthetic cathinones, synthetic cannabis show promise in animal studies•The search for a vaccine against drugs of abuse continues with advancements in vaccine technology [1–68]